Healthy recipes that don't suck

[SeoulFire]

Snacks: Spicy Kale Chips

http://www.menshealth.com/guy-gourme...icy-kale-chips

1/3 tsp toasted ground cumin
1/3 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne (add 1/8 tsp for spicier chips)
1/8 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
½ lb kale (about ¾ a bunch), large stems removed, cut into 2 to 3-inch pieces

How to make it:
1. Preheat the oven to 275ºF. In a medium bowl, combine the spices, salt, and oil. Stir to dissolve. Add the kale and toss to coat.
2. Spread leaves in a single layer on two baking sheets. Try to flatten any folded-over pieces for optimum crispness. Bake until the tips of leaves are slightly crispy, about 10 minutes. Use a spatula to turn the leaves over, and continue to roast until the leaves are crisp and slightly golden, 8 to 10 minutes more. Makes 4 servings.

[3 Justin 3]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

Add raw spinach or baby spinach to your morning smoothy. You wont taste the spinach, seriously.

Caution about the colour though. You may n ot want to use a clear glass the first few times.

If you throw spinach in with milk, chocolate protein power and peanut butter you think it will still be tasteless?

As it stands when I make my protein shake + added calories, it tastes like a Reese's cup.

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by NSFL

How much are they selling it for? I've been thinking about getting one for a while.

We bought the med sized one and it was about 180. No cheap but it does make good fried food.

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by Barnet Flame

I've had the Actifry for about a year now. I was very surprised at how much you can do with it.

One of my best ever purchases.

Agreed. If it needs oil we try to use the actifry. It made wonderful chicken legs.

[troutman]

I'm trying out a vegan diet. So far, so good.

http://www.forksoverknives.com/category/recipes/

http://www.thechinastudy.com/endorse...kbook/recipes/

http://www.thechinastudy.com/endorse...eries/recipes/

http://happyherbivore.com/recipes/

[GreenLantern]

troutman
Unfrozen Hippie Lawyer

I got this one from my boys Stephen and Chris a while back, I've made it more than a few times now and it tastes great, is a bit lighter (lower protein lower carb) which is nice.

Three Bean Chilli

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

2 tbsp (25 mL) olive oil
3 cups (750 mL) chopped red onions
½ cup (125 mL) diced carrots
½ cup (125 mL) diced celery
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups (750 mL) sliced cremini mushroom caps (about 275 g whole mushrooms)
2 tbsp (25 mL) chili powder
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
1 can (796 mL) crushed tomatoes
1 can (540 mL) PC Blue Menu Six Bean Medley, drained and rinsed 85941
1-1/3 cups (325 mL) PC Blue Menu Chicken Broth 98670
1 tsp (5 mL) honey
½ tsp (2 mL) each salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (125 mL) chopped fresh coriander

Directions

1. In large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat; cook onions, carrots, celery and garlic for 6 to 7 minutes or until softened and golden. Stir in mushrooms; cook another 6 to 7 minutes or until tender and golden. Stir in chili powder and cumin; cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Stir in tomatoes, beans, broth, honey, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in coriander. If desired, serve over cooked brown rice, topped with Greek yogurt and sliced green onions.

Nutritional Information

Per serving: 170 calories, fat 4.5 g (0.6 g of which is saturated), sodium 410 mg, carbohydrate 26 g, fibre 7 g, protein 7 g


http://www.cbc.ca/stevenandchris/foo...egetable-chili

I throw it over top of a mix of brown and wild rice... good to go.

[Devils'Advocate]

As a vegetarian trying to gain muscle mass, I'm looking for ways to get in more protein. So someone gave me this and it is AWESOME:

- 12 egg whites
- 3 bananas
- 1/3 cup stevia
- 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
- dash of salt
- cinnamon
- pumpkin pie spice

Put everything in a food processor. Turn on for 10 to 15 seconds. Pour into a sprayed muffin pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350.

----
If you like pumpkin muffins, just replace the 3 bananas with a can of pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling - pure pumpkin).

[19Yzerman19]

Personally I find that just about everything can be improved by putting a poached egg or two on it. Particularly stir fry, chili, meatballs in marinara, just about any casserole-like dish...

[redforever]

For this recipe, you are basically putting a spice rub on the chicken thighs and then poaching them over a bed of carrots and onions. This is a Moroccan recipe. The chicken is very tender and very flavorful.

Chicken Marrakesh

2 medium onions, peeled
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
12 oz package baby carrots
1 Tbsp ground ginger
1 tsp each turmeric, ground nutmeg and salt
1 tsp each paprika, cumin and ground pepper
2 Tbsp oil
3 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs (around 16), trimmed of fat
1 can undiluted chicken broth
1/2 can undiluted beef broth
1/2 can water
1/2 cup coconut milk (optional)
Preserved lemons or olives (optional)

1 Slice each onion into 8 wedges. Place wedges on bottom of large Dutch oven.
Top with the carrots. If you don’t have baby carrots, use the equivalent of regular carrots. Simply peel them and cut them into rectangular wedges the size of baby carrots. Add 1/2 cup olives and 1 Tbsp chopped preserved lemon if using.

2 Combine all the spices, the minced garlic, and the oil in a bowl. Stir to make into a paste. You can add a bit more oil if you feel the paste is too dry.

3 Take each chicken thigh and with your hands, rub some spice paste all over the thigh. Layer the chicken thighs on top of the onions and carrots. Keep the thighs in a rolled up round shape, not opened up. It should make one layer of meat. Put some broth in the bowl that held the spice mixture and swirl to pick up the last of the spices. Add to the chicken, being careful not to wash spice rub off the meat. You will essentially be poaching or steaming your chicken thighs over the layer of vegetables.

4 Put heat on medium and bring to a boil, will take around 10 minutes. Turn heat down to a simmer. Put on lid and simmer for around 30 minutes. Now turn up the heat a bit and put the lid at an angle, so some steam can be released. Simmer until some of the liquid evaporates and the sauce has thickened a bit. If you feel you have too much sauce left or your sauce is too runny, remove the chicken, dissolve around 1 Tbsp flour in a little water to make a slurry, and then add the flour mixture bit by bit to the sauce and heat until thickened to your liking. The sauce should not be as thick as gravy.

5 If using the coconut milk, add at the very end, when you are reducing or thickening your sauce. It adds just a bit of sweetness to offset the spices.

This is traditionally served over couscous or a couscous pilaf, but quinoa, rice or pasta is fine too. Serve with a nice green vegetable to add color to the plate. The dish can be garnished with snipped chives, mint, cilantro or parsley before serving.

Serves 6 adequately.

Note: If you do not have preserved lemons, just omit entirely. Do not try to substitute with regular lemons…they would be too bitter.

I serve this chicken with a couscous pilaf.


Couscous Pilaf

1 Tbsp oil
3/4 cup finely diced onion
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup dried currants
1 cup medium grain semolina couscous (scant)
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 to 2 Tbsp chopped fresh mint (optional)
1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 Tbsp lemon juice

Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add the diced onion and cook slowly until onion is very soft but not browned. Add the spices and cook 1 minute. Stir in the broth, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Add the currants, cover, turn off heat and let sit for 30 minutes to plump the currants. Return the broth to a boil over high heat. Stir in the couscous. Cover, turn off the heat, and let sit for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro, mint if using, toasted almonds, and lemon juice. Fluff with a fork and serve. This goes well with Mediterranean food such as chicken Marakesh or a pork tenderloin.

Note: I use a 10 oz can of chicken broth and add water to make 1 3/4 cups liquid.

Variation: You can stuff this in baked squash, a nice acorn squash works well. Cut the squash in half and scoop out the seeds. Rub with a bit of oil and place cut side down on a cookie sheet. Bake in a 350F oven until the squash is just so done. It should be a bit firm, not mushy. Blend 1 Tbsp softened butter and 2 Tbsp brown sugar and spread evenly inside each squash half. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Fill the squash halves with the couscous mixture. Return to a hot oven and bake around 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, cut each piece of squash in half so you now end up with 4 pieces from each squash. When you eat the stuffed squash, you will get a bit of squash pulp with each bite of the couscous, quite yummy!!!

This couscous recipe will fill around 2 medium sized squash.

[Righteous1]

Meat and veggies is all you need! I eat that shttt raw! Google some paleo recipes if you're looking to get ripped

[redforever]

Quinoa with Squash and Carrot Stew

Stew
2 Tbsp oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 tsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Pinch of saffron
1 cup vegetable or chicken broth
1 (14 1/2 ounce) can diced tomatoes
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups 1-inch cubes peeled butternut squash or sweet potato
2 cups (3/4-inch dice) peeled carrots

Put the oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté
until soft and transparent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
Add the paprika and the next 8 ingredients. Add the broth, tomatoes and lemon
juice and bring to boil. Add the carrots, cover and simmer over medium-low heat
for 10 minutes. Add the squash or sweet potato, cover and simmer 10 minutes or
until the vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. If the stew seems a bit thin,
uncover, bring the heat to high, and reduce until thickened to your liking. Season
the stew with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in half the cilantro and half the mint.


Quinoa
1 cup quinoa
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup very finely chopped onion
1/4 cup very finely chopped peeled carrot
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
2 tsp chopped fresh mint, divided

Rinse the quinoa and drain. Melt the butter with the oil in a large saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot, cover, and cook until the vegetables begin to brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, salt, and turmeric and sauté 1 minute. Add the quinoa and stir for 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a quick boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes.

Stir in half the cilantro and half the mint. Spoon the quinoa onto a platter. Form a well in the quinoa and spoon the stew into the well. Garnish with the remaining herbs and serve.

Note: I usually don’t add the carrots to the quinoa because there are already carrots in the stew.

This is equally as good served over couscous.

[redforever]

Bulgur Stuffed Peppers

2 Tbsp oil
1 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 large onions, chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 hot Serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 large mushrooms, minced
4 cup rich vegetable or chicken broth
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups bulgur wheat
1 cup walnuts, toasted, and, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, removed from sprigs
1 Tsp fresh oregano, removed from sprigs
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese
2 large eggs, beaten
6 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds and ribs removed
Salt for sprinkling
Extra cheese for topping

1 Preheat the oven to 375F.

2 Put the oil and butter in a saucepan set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Add the Serrano or jalapeno pepper and the mushrooms and cook a further 2 minutes.

3 Stir in the broth, soy sauce, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the bulgur, walnuts, and honey and combine. Cover the saucepan and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the bulgur is tender. Fluff with a fork and cool slightly. Stir in the basil, thyme, oregano, grated cheeses, and beaten eggs.

4 Put the pepper halves into an oiled baking dish and sprinkle with salt. Press and mound some stuffing into each pepper. Sprinkle each pepper with 2 Tbsp shredded mozzarella cheese.

5 Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

My Changes

a) I presoak the bulgur. I put the bulgur and broth in a large bowl and microwave for about 3 to 4 minutes, until the broth is very hot. Stir to combine, cover with saran, and let sit for 30 minutes. The liquid should now be absorbed and the bulgur should be soft and ready to use. I use 1 heaping cup of bulgur and 1 1/2 cups broth and find those amounts are more than sufficient.

b) I omit the oil and butter.

c) I add 3 Italian sausages (hot or mild), removed from their casings. I sauté the sausage in a Dutch oven until most of the pink is gone, crumbling it as it cooks. Then I add the onions, garlic, mushrooms, and Serrano (seeds and all) and sauté until the vegetables are soft and fragrant. Next I add the soy sauce, nuts, spices, salt, and pepper and mix to combine. If I don’t have fresh herbs around, I use a heaping teaspoon each of dried. If I don’t have toasted walnuts, I use toasted pine nuts.

d) Then I let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes, while I clean and prepare the red peppers. Once cooled, I add the cheeses and eggs to the bulgur mixture and stir to combine. If I feel the mixture is a bit dry, I add a bit more grated mozzarella.

e) Next I pour 2 to 3 cups Marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, just enough to amply coat the bottom of the baking pan. I stuff and mound the red pepper halves with as much filling as possible and lay the peppers in the pan. Then I sprinkle each stuffed pepper with about 2 Tbsp grated mozzarella cheese.

f) I cover the stuffed peppers with foil and bake them for 15 minutes. Then I remove the foil and bake the peppers for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is nicely browned and the peppers are al dente.

Note: If you have left over filling, you can either freeze it for later use or make some other recipes with it. Use your imagination.

a) You could make quesadillas. Sprinkle some shredded mozzarella or Monterey jack cheese on a tortilla, then some filling, some more shredded cheese, and top with another tortilla. Sauté over medium heat until golden brown on both sides.

b) You could make stuffed portabella mushrooms. Remove the gills and tough stem and parbake the mushrooms for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and stuff and mound them with filling. Sprinkle each stuffed mushroom with shredded mozzarella and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until the cheese is golden brown, and the mushrooms are cooked through.

c) You could make stuffed squash. Cut the squash in half and remove the seeds. Put the squash in a baking pan, cut side down, and parbake for 20 minutes. Remove the squash from the oven and stuff and mound with filling. Sprinkle each stuffed squash with shredded mozzarella and bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and the squash is cooked through.

d) You could make stuffed pasta shells. Cook large pasta shells just until al dente, stuff them with the filling, put them in a baking dish with marinara sauce on the bottom, and then bake as per the original instructions.

For a very quick marinara sauce:

1/2 onion, diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
1 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme
3/4 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp dried oregano
Splash of wine (1/3 cup)

Put all the ingredients in a blender and puree. Transfer to a saucepan or sauté pan that is somewhat wide in diameter. Bring to a quick boil, turn the heat down to a simmer, and cook uncovered until somewhat thickened, about 15 to 20 minutes.

You will only need about half the marinara sauce for this recipe. Freeze the rest for future use.

[redforever]

This is a very easy recipe and the fish always turns out nice and moist. I normally use cod but halibut as per the recipe is great too. Any white fish would work, just not a full flavored fish like perhaps salmon.

Make sure your sauce is reduced before you use it in the recipe. The fish will release some juices as it bakes so if your sauce is not reduced enough ahead of time, it will be runny when the fish is finished baking.

Halibut with Tomatoes and Oil Cured Olives

1 1/2 pounds halibut, cut into 4 even pieces
20 yellow and red cherry tomatoes, halved
10 pitted oil-cured black olives, roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, peeled, very thinly sliced
Olive oil
Splash of dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
Handful of pine nuts
2 tsp freshly chopped thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or finely sliced basil as a garnish

1 Preheat the oven to 400F with the rack on the upper 2/3 level.
2 Put some oil in a non-stick skillet set over medium heat. When hot, add the garlic and sauté just until lightly browned, 30 to 60 seconds. Add the tomatoes and olives, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. After 1 minute, splash in a little white wine and let most of it reduce. Add the thyme and the chicken broth and continue to sauté until the tomatoes are collapsing and the sauce has thickened a bit. Remove the sauce from the heat and pour half of it into a shallow gratin dish.
3 Season the fish on both sides with salt and freshly ground pepper and place it on top of the sauce in the gratin dish. Drizzle the rest of the sauce and juices over the top of the fish.
4 Sprinkle the pine nuts over the top, put in the oven, and bake just until the fish is cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Serve the fish with a generous scoop of the
tomato sauce and a sprinkling of chopped parsley or basil.

Serves 4.


For another healthy, easy fish recipe, try a Mexican take and make Veracruz fish. Again, any mild white fish would work in this recipe.

2 boneless red snapper filets, about 7 oz each
Cayenne, salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp capers
1 Tbsp caper brine
1 large jalapeno, sliced, seeded
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup sliced Castelvetrano green olives, sliced
2 Tbsp fresh chopped oregano or 1 tsp dried
Juice of 1 lime

1 Lightly grease or spray an ovenproof casserole dish that is large enough to accommodate the fish comfortably. The fish and veggies should not be crowded.
2 Preheat the oven to 425F. Season the fish with salt, pepper, and cayenne.
3 Put the oil in a skillet set over medium heat. Add the onions, sprinkle with salt,
and sauté for 3 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add the capers and their juice and sauté for 30 seconds.
4 Add the tomatoes and jalapeno and sauté for 2 minutes. Add the olives and oregano and sauté for 1 minute.
5 Put half the veggies in the casserole dish. Arrange the seasoned fish over the veggies. Pour the remaining veggies on top the fish. Drizzle with the lime juice.
6 Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the fish flakes easy, and its juices run clear.


Note: You could also make this recipe in two individual gratin dishes.

[troutman]

Staying Strong on a Vegan Diet: Protein and Muscles

http://www.theveganrd.com/2013/01/st...d-muscles.html

Maintaining muscle mass is way easier than rebuilding it after it’s been lost. So, to keep muscles strong:

• Do regular weight training. It’s the single most important thing you can do to build and hang on to muscle.
• Emphasize legumes in your diet—beans, soyfoods and peanuts. In Vegan for Life, we encouraged at least 3 servings per day. I typically eat 4 to 5 servings. I know it sounds like a lot, but for me it translates to one cup of soyfoods (some combo of tofu, soymilk, and tempeh usually), one cup of beans, and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. I tend to favor legumes over grains.
• The IOF suggested that vitamin D and possibly vitamin B12 are important for muscle health. Make sure you take at least 600 IUs of vitamin D every day and around 25 micrograms of B12. (You do this anyway, right?)
• Eats lots of fruits and vegetables. They keep blood alkaline, provide antioxidants, and are also good sources of folate which may be important for strong muscles.

[fundmark19]

Something incredibly simple that I can eat everyday

Spring mix lettuce
Can of Spicy Thai Tuna
Raspberry vinaigrette dressing

The sweetness of the dressing really goes well with the spiciness of the tuna. And takes all of 5 seconds to make

[McG]

not particularly a recipe, but my wife and i have tried to reduce milk from our diets just because...

we have transitioned to the almond milk from costco, and the savings in calories is huge. it took a little while to adjust...but i enjoy the taste now.

and +1 for the smoothie recipes!

[troutman]

My sister taught me it is pronounced kin-wa, not quin-o-a.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by troutman

My sister taught me it is pronounced kin-wa, not quin-o-a.

Actually, it is keen-wa

[pylon]

If you wanna make it nice and easy, Costco sells pre-seasoned Tilapia fillets, and my god are they incredible. You could go to 10 high end seafood restaurants and be lucky to get Tilapia that good once. They are only like 100 calories per filet.

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by troutman

My sister taught me it is pronounced kin-wa, not quin-o-a.

I struggle with this all the time and we eat it often. My most common way is Queen-wa.

And I second the Costco recommendation. Of all the major super markets they have the best fish that I have found.

Also if you want half the calories with still a good chunk of protein try out their wall eye. I eat fresh wall eye quite often (hook to pan to my mouth), and they have the only stuff I would compare it too.